11 Dec 2020: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

E. Editorials

Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Iran’s calculated risk

Background:

• The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed between Iran and P5+1 nations.
• Under the deal:
  • Iran agreed to reduce its number of centrifuges – tube-shaped machines that help enrich uranium – by two-thirds.
  • Iran agreed to bring down its stockpile of enriched uranium by 98% and limit uranium enrichment to 3.67%.
  • Iran consented to give access to inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN’s nuclear watchdog agency, to its nuclear facilities, among other facilities.

• In exchange, Iran would have the sanctions lifted.

Context:

The change of guard in the US has brought into focus the nature of policy that will pursued with regards to Iran.

Details:

1. Barack Obama’s conciliatory policy.
   • The Obama administration saw Iran as a threat to not only US interests in the region but also to global peace.
   • Hence, the US under Barack Obama wanted to make Iran responsible for its actions, putting Iran under severe sanctions would only give them an opportunity to be more reckless in their conduct.
   • The US saw the only way to make Iran accountable for its actions is to bring them to the negotiating table and arrange an agreement and also pin accountability on them if they renege on such an agreement.
   • The agreement would mean that Iran would have to phase down its nuclear programme and the US will have to lift sanctions imposed on Iran.
2. West Asia triangle
   • Israel, Saudi Arabia along with Iran constitute the three poles of West Asia, the balance of power dynamics in the region is largely controlled by these three actors
   • The US attempts to strike a deal with Iran over its nuclear programme did not go down well with its allies in the region, namely, Saudi Arabia and Israel.
   • Israel and Saudi Arabia were of the opinion that the agreement would lift the stature of Iran in the region, something that Israel and Saudi Arabia couldn’t live with, for Israel and Saudi Arabia gained a lot by terming Iran as a ‘rogue nation’, ‘irresponsible actor’ and ‘mischief monger’.
   • The lifting of sanctions would also enable Iran to regain its natural economic and political might and widen Iran’s influence in the region.
   • Iran’s resurgence doesn’t bode well for the other two, its backing of non-state militias and the ambition to emerge as a hegemon in the region based on the political heft of the Shia community.
   • Thus Israel and Saudi Arabia made their displeasure with respect to the agreement from the beginning.
3. ‘Maximum pressure’ policy
   • 2016 saw the coming of Donald Trump to the white house as the new President of the US. His policy was the polar opposite of what the previous administration had worked towards.
   • Donald Trump was very vocal in his criticism of the Iranian regime, singled out Iran for numerous incidents in the Middle-east. Donald Trump went as far as pulling out of JCPAO and imposed strict sanctions on Iran.
   • The US pullout came even after the United Nations acknowledging that Iran was compliant with the terms of the agreement. Thus pulling out of the JCPOA and re-imposing severe sanctions meant that Iran was backed into a corner
   • He termed his policy as ‘Maximum Pressure’, he was hoping that the US and its allies would pressurize Iran to return to the negotiating table and it would be a perfect opportunity for the US to dictate terms to Iran, this was welcomed by Israel and Saudi Arabia.
   • The US actions meant that Israel got the opening it was eyeing to carry out its numerous covert and overt operations against Iran. This was very evident when Israeli agents carried out an audacious operation to steal the documents pertaining to Iran’s nuclear programme from a warehouse in Iran.
   • Iran’s nuclear scientists came under attack as seen in the recent assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iranian military personnel in Syria also suffered at the hands of Israeli bombing.
4. Joe Biden era set to take off.
   • The new President-elect Joe Biden was part of the Obama administration, Biden served as Obama’s vice-president.
   • Therefore, it is no surprise that Biden wants to reinstate the agreement albeit with few additional conditions.
   • He has the responsibility to ensure that the Middle-east is stable and has all the major players on board.
5. Iran’s conundrum
   • On one hand, Iran risks inviting more sanctions and losing goodwill if it retaliates to the killing of its nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh and if it doesn’t retaliate it will be seen as a weak move.
   • Iran has, however, has taken a more prudent choice by not walking into the trap by retaliating, instead, it has resorted to bringing about legislation that permits Iran to enrich Uranium to a20% from the current 5%. This is still within the weapon-grade level of 90%. And also to stop UN access to its top nuclear reactors if sanctions are not lifted.
6. India’s interest
   • India’s economic and security interests will be impacted by the turn of events in the immediate neighbourhood of West Asia.
   • The RBI said that 52% of remittances to India come from the Gulf and West Asia and also the safety of a large amount of Indian diaspora is of immense concern to India.
   • India’s growth aspirations are intertwined with energy security and the region is the primary crude oil source to India and any disruption due to geopolitical tensions will have a telling effect on India’s economy.

Conclusion

• The West Asia region has never been short of drama and tension, the three major players are committed to neutralizing any efforts to gain preponderance.
• The US has the opportunity to get Iran back to the negotiating table and it has to expend adequate diplomatic capital in bringing its allies Israel and Saudi Arabia on board.

Category: ECONOMY

1. Grain and chaff

Context:

• The absence of conciliation on the horizon between the farmers and the Government has led to several farmers’ organisations calling for the blockade of Delhi’s highways to Jaipur and Agra.
• The farm legislation have brought farmers and the union government on a collision course.

Details:

1. Farmer protests.
   • The passing of the farm acts are believed to bring about a massive change in the farming landscape, this has led to large scale protests, especially by the farmers of Haryana and Punjab.
   • The farmers are camping around the national capital expecting themselves to be heard.
2. Lack of assurance over Minimum Support Price and public procurement.
   • Uncertainty over Minimum Support Price and fears over the dismantling of public procurement has heightened the fears among the farmers.
   • The Government has so far not issued a written statement committing to continued existence of MSP led public procurement.
   • The other concerns like parity between state-run and private Mandis, registration of traders and dispute resolution mechanisms have not been heeded as well.
3. Risks faced by farmers
   • Farmers run the dual risk of market and weather, while the latter is largely uncontrollable, but the former can be managed.
   • A sound government policy will help minimize market risk, therefore government policies must aim to ensure agriculture is not at the mercy of market forces.
   • Public procurement at MSP is seen as a cushion against price shocks to the farmers, especially when close to 85% of Indian farmers are small and marginal farmers, the farm income is, therefore, the backbone of the rural economy.
4. Food security.
   • Food security has been a major concern in India, food security is largely defined by the availability and accessibility of food. India ranked 76^th in 113 countries assessed by The Global Food Security
   • The above picture requires more proactive efforts from the side of the government, leaving the farming and marketing of agriculture produce entirely to market forces is nothing but a path to disaster.
   • Several free-market countries have a certain degree of government control over farming and marketing and this has been conceded at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Way forward

• The need for reforms cannot be dismissed, but to do it unilaterally without much deliberation at the Parliament and not consulting the farmers and leaving other stakeholders in the dark has not gone down well.
• The Union has the responsibility towards the farmers who are the backbone of food security, thus cannot be left at the mercy of market forces.
• The first step in resolving the deadlock will begin from guaranteeing MSP and reassuring the farmers of procurement and subsidies and this has to be done through the letter of law to restore the lost trust in the government.

Category: HEALTH

1. True to its name.

Context:

Granting approval to COVID-19 vaccines tested and manufactured in India

Background:

Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) is responsible for approval of licenses of specified categories of drugs such as blood and blood products, I.V. Fluids, Vaccine and Sera.

Details:

1. Safety of the vaccine cannot be compromised.
   • The need for COVID-19 vaccine has meant that several pharma companies are working round the clock for developing a vaccine, running clinical trials, doing everything to get the vaccine in the market.
   • While it is great that the world Is on the brink of coming up with a vaccine to neutralize the pandemic, it is to be ensured that it is not done in haste.
   • The importance of a vaccine cannot be downplayed but it cannot come at the cost of safety, it means that the vaccine has to go through each phase of vaccine development, without having to jump the gun.
2. Drug Controller General of India’s stance.
   • The DCGI, which is responsible for granting licenses to drugs has laid to rest any doubts and concerns over the approval of COVID-19 vaccine.
   • It has categorically put it on record that without the adequate data, the vaccines won’t be issued a clearance even for emergency purposes.
   • It has sought additional data with regards to safety and immunogenicity from Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech, based in Pune and Hyderabad respectively.
   • The deferment of approval over the need to have more concrete data will infuse more trust and faith on the regulator and in the long run will help in fighting ‘Vaccine hesitancy’- Refers to delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite availability of vaccine services owing to many reasons, one of them being doubts over the safety of the vaccine
3. Hastiness to seek approval.
   • Bharath Biotech
     1. Its move to secure clearance without having submitted from the phase-3 trials has been surprising.
     2. It has in return chose to rely on the phase1 and phase 2 safety and immunogenicity data
   • The Serum
     1. It submitted interim safety and immunogenicity data of the Oxford vaccine from phase 2 and phase 3 clinical trials held in India and other countries.
     2. The safety data of the Indian trial was submitted only until mid-November. There are questions over the data submitted because, the phase-3 trials began on September 21, and since the second dose is administered with a time interval of 28 days and the median follow-up after the second dose would have been for just a few weeks.
     3. Therefore with lack of satisfaction on behalf of the drug regulator, the DCGI has asked for immunogenicity data from the U.K trial.

4. Approval and regulatory standards
   • Several global vaccine manufacturers signed a joint pledge stating that they would not rush in haste to seek approvals from the regulatory authorities without testing it as per the standard framework.
   • The Indian manufacturers should strive to achieve the highest standards in testing without the need to act in haste.
   • Public trust is very important for a successful vaccination campaign, any shreds of doubt over the efficacy of the vaccine might lead to people skirting vaccination.

Conclusion

• The DCGI has done the right thing by summoning more data from the clinical trials, it has done well not to act prematurely.
• It is the responsibility of both the drug manufacturers and the regulators to ensure that the vaccine is fail-proof, if both the actors do their duty without compromising on anything, then the world will soon have the first COVID-19 vaccine that is efficient and safe.

F. Tidbits

Nothing here for today!!!

G. Prelims Facts

1. HelpAge India presented UN Population Award for 2020

Context

• NGO HelpAge India received the “2020 UN Population Award” for its contribution towards serving disadvantaged elderly people and raising awareness on their cause.

Details

• HelpAge India became the first Indian NGO to be awarded the prestigious 2020 UN Population Award in the institutional category.
  • The last time the Award came to an Indian was 28 years ago, back in 1992, when it was awarded to Mr. J.R.D. Tata as an individual laureate.
• The selection of HelpAge is in recognition of its work on population issues and efforts in the realisation of rights of older persons in India since 1978.
• The award brings focus to the issue of ageing with India housing an estimated 140 million elderly.
• It works for the welfare of the elderly.

UN Population Award

• It was established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1981
• It recognises contributions in the fields of population and reproductive health.
• It consists of a gold medal, a diploma and a monetary prize.

Also Read:  United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Q1. Herod’s Palace recently seen in news is in which country?

Q2. Consider the following statements with reference to Kathakali:

Q3. The only African country with coastal exposure to both the 
Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea is

Q4. Which of the following are correctly matched?

Q5. Which of the following statement/s about C. Rajagopalachari is/are correct?